February 22: Spay Day USA by Leslie Miller, Vet Tech, Fenway Bark
Why Should You Spay / Neuter Your Pet?
Definition, please!
First, let’s look at the words themselves.
SPAY – to remove the ovaries and the uterus of a female animal.
NEUTER – to castrate or remove the testes from a male animal.
There are many benefits to having your pets spayed / neutered!
Benefits for Pet Parents
Hey you boys! Get away from there!
Females will benefit from being spayed, as they will no longer experience heat cycles. That means, no more unneutered males coming around your house trying to impregnate your little baby! It also eliminates the “messiness” associated with the heat cycle.
What is that…smell??
Males that are neutered are less likely to engage in urine marking, humping, male aggression and the urge to roam to find those females in heat.
Ahhh…peace and quiet…and money!
Female cats in heat will often be noisy, meow constantly and urinate frequently – a lot of the time outside their litter box. Who needs that? Also, you’ll save some cash and time when your animal isn’t producing litter after litter of tiny critters starved for food and attention!
Healthier, Happier Pets!
Put the kibosh on the Big “C” and other pesky annoyances.
Pets that have been spayed and neutered are less likely to develop certain types of cancer. Spaying females prior to their first heat cycle nearly eliminates the risk of breast cancer and completely prevents uterine infections and uterine cancer. Neutering prevents testicular cancer, enlargements of the prostate gland, and greatly reduces the risk for perianal tumors.
What was all the fuss about anyway?
After spaying or neutering your animal, you may notice a chance in behavior – she / he may become more affectionate, and less nervous or aggressive.
Why should YOU spay or neuter?
My dog is so handsome / beautiful and a purebred! I want to breed!
Yep. Even purebreds end up in shelters. In fact, 25 percent of animals in shelters are purebreds. Responsible breeders have homes for their litters BEFORE they breed. In general, average litters are about 6 puppies (depending of course, on the size and breed of the dog). Are you prepared to find good homes for ALL of them? And even if you do…there are a finite number of homes available. You may have just taken a home that could have otherwise adopted a shelter animal.
The sad facts.
There are countless animals that are producing more and more unwanted litters, causing many animal shelters to reach maximum capacity. According to the ASPCA an estimated 5 to 7 million dogs and cats enter shelters every year. Sadly, there isn’t enough room or homes for them all. This leads to approximately 3 to 4 MILLION animals being euthanized in the United States each year (60 percent of dogs, 70 percent of cats). Spaying or neutering will make a big impact on controlling the overpopulation of dogs and cats and help to stop the needless euthanasia that happens on a daily basis to those otherwise healthy animals all across the country.
Show me the money!
Don’t let cost be the reason that you don’t spay or neuter. There are many low cost options available, right here in Massachusetts!
Alliance for Animals
(617) 268-7800
http://www.AFAboston.org
Animal Advocates
(508) 991-7727
Animal Rescue League Spay Waggin’
(877) 590-7729
http://www.arlboston.org/SW
MSPCA SNAP program
(617) 522-7400
http://www.mspca.org/programs/spay-neuter/
Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society Spay Mass Van
(888) 495-7729
http://www.MRFRS.org
Merwin Memorial Clinic
(617) 782-5420
STOP Clinic
(617) 571-7151
http://www.thestopclinic.com/
Sylvan Animal Clinic
(508) 679-6122
http://www.faxonarl.org/clinic.htm
Pet Partners
(508) 672-4813
http://www.petpartnersne.org/
Second Chance Fund for Animal Welfare
(978) 779-8287
http://www.secondchancefund.org
If you don’t live in Massachusetts, contact SPAY USA for a referral in your state:
(888) 495-7729 http://www.spayusa.org
Be part of the pet population solution, not the problem!
Spay or Neuter your pet today!
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